Living in a county town, starting as a stock market maker...

Gu Ming's blood rushed to his head.

The car was filled with the smells of alcohol, perfume, and Su Qingying's body temperature.

Her breath was hot.

He is a normal man.

Moreover, I lacked experience dealing with this kind of woman in both my lives.

Su Qingying, who was usually calm and composed, whispered that question in his ear.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't tempted.

Gu Ming's Adam's apple bobbed.

Many thoughts flashed through his mind.

Should I push her away? Or should I hug her?

To refuse or to accept?

Reason told him that this woman was clever, and her current drunkenness might be feigned; it was a trap, a test of him.

But his instincts made him shout.

She smelled wonderful, had smooth skin, and her breath was very hot.

Just a second before Gu Ming was about to lose control.

He took a deep breath.

He wanted to say, "Qingying, you've had too much to drink."

As a result, Su Qingying's next words were like a bucket of ice water being poured over her.

It extinguished all his thoughts.

With a smile, she continued to speak her plan in that same voice:

"I can……"

"Using my position, I'll prepare a high-valuation investment analysis report for you..."

"Then, I'll use my connections to get the report passed on to my friends at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs..."

"Because of my name, they'll at least believe half of it... We can use your project to raise an unimaginable amount of money..."

"Consider it... compensation for my emotional deception..."

"How was it? Exciting enough?"

……

……

The car was quiet.

Gu Ming's expression froze.

His eyes were filled with nothing but confusion.

Is this what she meant by "not following the rules this once"?

He thought she wanted something to happen between them.

So, she wanted to drag him into committing a crime?

Is this what you call "compensation"?

Is this what you call "revenge"?

This is intended to put him in jail.

Gu Ming was stunned by this idea.

He felt absurd and speechless; his previous desire vanished instantly.

He finally understood that he was different from Su Qingying.

All her actions ultimately boil down to business.

Even if it's a "sacrifice," it's not her own life that's sacrificed, but her career and the rest of her life.

After figuring this out, Gu Ming suddenly felt that Su Qingying in front of him was somewhat pathetic.

He raised his hand, supported her thin shoulders, and pushed her away slightly so that she could look into his eyes.

"Su Qingying".

His voice was serious, tinged with a hint of heartache and anger.

"Wake up!"

Su Qingying was startled by him, her drunken eyes filled with confusion.

Gu Ming stared into her eyes and said, word by word:

"I want to win, but I want to win cleanly! I want to win within the rules, winning in a way that leaves my opponent completely convinced!"

"What I need are allies who help me analyze risks, not gamblers who will trample the rules with me!"

What you're saying isn't what I want!

"That's not you either!"

"The Su Qingying I know earns the respect of all men through her professionalism and pride!"

"I am not a loser who wins by falsifying accounts!"

These words were like a slap in the face to her.

The redness on her face faded, leaving her deathly pale.

She stared blankly at Gu Ming, at the disappointment and concern in his eyes.

All her grievances, resentment, and struggles erupted at this moment.

"Wow--"

She suddenly slumped onto the steering wheel and burst into tears.

The crying was suppressed and filled with helplessness.

Gu Ming was dumbfounded.

He stood there helplessly, watching her shoulders heaving violently, not knowing what to do.

What kind of nonsense is this?

……

After half an hour.

Gu Ming helped the exhausted Su Qingying out of the car and took her to her apartment building.

Throughout the journey, Su Qingying remained silent, like a puppet, only occasionally sobbing.

Gu Ming took the key out of her bag, swiped it to open the elevator, and escorted her to the door.

"Okay, we're home."

Gu Ming put the key back into her hand, breathed a sigh of relief, and prepared to leave.

He felt that tonight was more tiring than the negotiations.

Just as I turned around, someone bumped into me from behind.

A pair of arms wrapped tightly around his waist from behind.

A face streaked with tears and reeking of alcohol was buried in his back.

Gu Ming froze.

He heard Su Qingying's voice behind him, trembling with tears, both indistinct and clear.

"Gu Ming..."

"I'm finished..."

"I think... I've really fallen for you..."

Gu Ming's mind went blank.

He stood frozen in place, unsure how to react.

Just as he froze, unsure of what to do... ###Chapter Seventy-Three: Exchange of Value

Gu Ming felt the blood rush to his head.

The cramped space inside the car was filled with the smells of alcohol, perfume, and Su Qingying's body heat.

Her breath near his ear ignited his desire.

He's a normal man, but he's lacked experience dealing with this kind of woman in both his lives.

A normally calm and composed investment banking elite, now with bleary eyes, leaned close to his ear and asked that question.

He was tempted.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his mind raced.

He pondered whether he should push her away or embrace her, whether to reject her or accept her.

Reason told him that Su Qingying was very smart, and this might be a trap, a stress test.

But her scent, her skin, her breath all swayed him.

His sanity was about to break.

I was just about to say, "Qingying, you've had too much to drink."

Su Qingying's next words were like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

He calmed down instantly.

With a slight smile, she whispered her plan in his ear.

"I can use my position to prepare an investment value analysis report for you that is seriously overvalued."

"Then, I'll use my connections to get this report to my friends at Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Sequoia Capital."

"Just because of my name, Su Qingying, they'll believe at least half of it. We can use your digital life on paper to raise an unimaginable amount of money."

"Consider it compensation for your emotional deception of me."

"How was it? Exciting enough? Breaking the rules enough?"

……

……

The car fell silent.

Gu Ming's expression froze.

His eyes were blank, and he seemed very confused.

Is this what a female investment banking elite thinks when she's drunk?

Is this what she meant by "not following the rules this once"?

He needs to sort things out.

He considered her a partner, and just now he even had other thoughts.

She actually wanted to drag him to jail with her.

This is not compensation or retaliation.

This is intended to put him in jail.

Gu Ming was stunned by this absurd yet "professional" idea.

He didn't know whether to laugh or be angry; the desire from before had vanished, and he only felt absurdity.

He understood that he and Su Qingying were not the same kind of people.

Ultimately, all her actions are related to projects, financing, and valuation.

What she sacrificed while drunk was her professional ethics and the freedom she would spend the rest of her life.

Having figured all this out, Gu Ming felt that Su Qingying in front of him was both laughable and pathetic.

He raised his hand, placed it on her shoulder, and pushed her away slightly so that she could look into his eyes.

"Su Qingying".

His voice was very serious.

"Wake up."

Su Qingying was startled by his seriousness, and a hint of confusion flashed in her drunken eyes.

Gu Ming stared into her eyes and said, word by word:

"I, Gu Ming, want to win, but I want to win cleanly and defeat my opponent within the rules."

"I need an ally to help me analyze the risks, not a gambler who will trample on the rules with me."

"That's not the kind of victory I want."

"That's not you either."

"The Su Qingying I know is an elite who stands in the office building in Lujiazui based on her own professionalism and experience."

"Not a loser who wins by falsifying accounts."

These words struck a chord with Su Qingying.

The blush on her face faded, leaving her deathly pale.

She stared blankly at Gu Ming, at his disappointed yet concerned eyes.

I had an emotional breakdown.

Suddenly, he slumped over the steering wheel and burst into tears.

Her sobs were suppressed and filled with helplessness, shattering her years of strength and composure.

Gu Ming was stunned.

He stood there, watching her trembling shoulders, unsure of what to do.

He didn't know how to coax her.

What kind of thing is this?

……

After half an hour.

Gu Ming helped the exhausted Su Qingying out of the car and took her to her apartment building.

Throughout the journey, Su Qingying remained silent, letting him do as he pleased, occasionally letting out a sob or two.

Gu Ming took the key out of her bag, swiped it to open the elevator, and escorted her to the apartment door.

"Okay, we're home."

Gu Ming put the key back into her hand, breathed a sigh of relief, and prepared to leave.

He felt that tonight was even more tiring than negotiating with Shen Guodong.

Just as he turned around, Su Qingying suddenly bumped into him from behind and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

Her face, streaked with tears and reeking of alcohol, buried itself in his back.

Gu Ming froze.

He heard Su Qingying's mumbled yet clear confession behind him.

"Gu Ming."

"I'm finished."

I think I've really fallen for you.

His mind went blank.

Frozen in place, unsure how to react.

Just as he was wondering what to do with Su Qingying behind him, the apartment door in front of him clicked open from the inside.

Standing at the door were a middle-aged man in pajamas who looked very dignified, and a middle-aged woman with a gentle demeanor but a bewildered expression.

They are Su Qingying's parents.

They stood at the doorway, watching their daughter, reeking of alcohol and with tears streaming down her face, hugging a strange man from behind, muttering "I love you."

Gu Ming, Su Qingying, Su's father, Su's mother.

The four people looked at each other in the hallway.

The scene was very awkward.